Zecca sworn in as deputy chief of NPD

Lt. Susan Zecca has her new badge pinned on her by daughter Michelle Holland as she is promoted to Deputy Chief.

Hour photo / Alex von Kleydorff

Lt. Susan Zecca has her new badge pinned on her by daughter Michelle Holland as she is promoted to Deputy Chief.

Photo: 2013 The Hour Newspapers

Photo: 2013 The Hour Newspapers

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Hour photo / Alex von Kleydorff

Lt. Susan Zecca has her new badge pinned on her by daughter Michelle Holland as she is promoted to Deputy Chief.

Hour photo / Alex von Kleydorff

Lt. Susan Zecca has her new badge pinned on her by daughter Michelle Holland as she is promoted to Deputy Chief.

Photo: 2013 The Hour Newspapers

Zecca sworn in as deputy chief of NPD

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NORWALK -- For the first time in more than four years, the Norwalk Police Department has two deputy chiefs as Susan Zecca was promoted from lieutenant to deputy chief at a swearing-in ceremony Friday at police headquarters.

After Mayor Richard A. Moccia swore her in to her new position, Deputy Chief Susan Zecca's 18-year-old daughter Michelle Holland pinned a new badge on her.

"I'm really proud of her," said Holland. "She deserves it."

Zecca, a 24-year veteran of the department, spent the past five years as commander of the Professional Standards Unit. Her duties included overseeing the investigation of fellow officers, ensuring compliance with Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies standards and applying for grants. She said her time in Professional Standards and her time with Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik prepared her for her new position.

"The current chief really mentored me for the past 10 years," she said.

Zecca served for a long while on the Community Policing Unit alongside Officer Cesar Ramirez, who serves in the unit to this day.

"I do believe she has earned the respect of the community and the respect of her brother and sister officers," said Ramirez. "I wish her good luck. I think she's going to do a good job and be extremely dedicated."

Zecca becomes the second female to serve as deputy chief. Rosemary Arway, the department's first female deputy chief, retired in November 2008.

"We're very excited about the second female deputy chief," said Sgt. Lisa Cotto, a member of Women Officers of Norwalk. "We know she's going to do a good job."

Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik served as the lone deputy chief from late 2008 until he was promoted to chief in July 2012.

Deputy Chief David Wrinn was appointed to the vacant deputy chief slot when Kulhawik was appointed police chief. Kulhawik said he knows a deputy chief shoulders a heavy workload and having two deputy chiefs is ideal.

With the promotion of Zecca, Wrinn will focus on the operational side of the department. He will be tasked with overseeing the patrol unit, the detective bureau and the Special Services Unit. Zecca will focus on the administrative side of the department, and her duties will include overseeing Professional Standards, grants, accreditation, purchasing and budgets.

Much like Wrinn, Zecca is community oriented, Kulhawik said. The chief said Zecca's leadership skills and her familiarity with the city government and the budgeting process made her a prime candidate for the promotion.

Moccia also swore in Dave O'Connor as lieutenant and Joseph Dinho as sergeant. Many of Dinho's family members, including his 86-year-old grandmother, and friends, including officers from the Danbury Police Department, were on hand for the ceremony.

O'Connor, who also ranked first when he took the promotional test for sergeant, said long stretches of studying for the promotional exam paid dividends.